M40 Motor Gun Carriage

[Stokesy44]

Want to see an update

[digger303]

Want to see an update

All my time has been taken with work and trying to assemble a large foot grate that isn't cooperating and waiting for my soldering iron replacement tip.
However a small update soon I hope. In the mean time

[Stokesy44]

Want to see an update

All my time has been taken with work and trying to assemble a large foot grate that isn't cooperating and waiting for my soldering iron replacement tip.
However a small update soon I hope. In the mean time

I’ll have my Firefly tracks done soon. One side finished last night. I grudgingly concede they look pretty cool

[digger303]

Want to see an update

All my time has been taken with work and trying to assemble a large foot grate that isn't cooperating and waiting for my soldering iron replacement tip.
However a small update soon I hope. In the mean time

I’ll have my Firefly tracks done soon. One side finished last night. I grudgingly concede they look pretty cool

You did a excellent job on them

[digger303]

I dedicate this update to Stokesy and his charm

This is my crappy attempt at putting their foot grate together despite being provided with a jig. A very steady hand is required of which I have none. In my short defence they could have engineered it better...hell I could draft a better idea .

It's going to have to get a bit dirty I'm afraid......the last ditch defence of bad modeling ....

Slightly more populated now.

It has taken me a week end to do.
cheers chaps

[Stokesy44]

Wow, that looks like a ton of work! Dirty it up and it’ll be fine. Even better, put some stowage on it like she’ll boxes etc?

Still boggles at all that interior work. Superbly done

[ForeverPlasticKits]

i can't find a word to describe your work!

[BigWall]

It's looking tight Digger!

[Tomcat64]

Wow you've managed to cram a whole pile of stuff in the back of that thing mate!

Really nice progress even with Stokesy's subtle encouragement

[Stokesy44]

Wow you've managed to cram a whole pile of stuff in the back of that thing mate!

Really nice progress even with Stokesy's subtle encouragement

Thank you

[DRUMS01]

Don't short yourself digger, the gun carriage looks really good. And like you said a little grime and stowage on the grate and it will be perfect. The only person to know of its assembly is you and really its really not that bad to be honest, especially if you look at the real item.

Ben

[digger303]

Don't short yourself digger, the gun carriage looks really good. And like you said a little grime and stowage on the grate and it will be perfect. The only person to know of its assembly is you and really its really not that bad to be honest, especially if you look at the real item.
Ben

Thanks Ben very kind to say so.

i can't find a word to describe your work!

I'll take that as a thumbs up thank you

It's looking tight Digger!

Thanks BW.

Wow you've managed to cram a whole pile of stuff in the back of that thing mate!

Really nice progress even with Stokesy's subtle encouragement

Thank you I think My dreams were bigger than the 5 PE frets.....took on way more than I could handle.

Wow, that looks like a ton of work! Dirty it up and it’ll be fine. Even better, put some stowage on it like she’ll boxes etc?

Still boggles at all that interior work. Superbly done

Shells are available along with a figure set, but your whip is making me nervous ...thought I saw handcuffs



Thought I would work on the front end for a while. Damn buckles had me in trouble for a while I pinged 4 off into the sunset one after another luckily these have the buckles attached still a bugger threading them through until I twigged . Bend the buckle then it slips right in.

I put the track guards on this arvo. I could have done a lot more except I was feeling a little weary and the mojo was at a low ebb.

Harvest is done now finished today so just the gear to clean up and shed for another year. Might get some serious modeling done now.....might ?

[Stokesy44]

Wow, that external PE looks stunning. Great effort

[digger303]

Wow, that external PE looks stunning. Great effort

Thanks Stokesy. I have a fair bit of glue clean up to do yet and still have about 100 pc's of PE still on the frets and the dead line approaches with no paint to be seen yet.

[Parker]

Coming along nicely, Digger.

[BigWall]

Truly exceptional Digger!

[digger303]

A few subtle additions....I''l get there eventually

[BigWall]

So much PE! It's looking great!

[digger303]

So much PE! It's looking great!

Yes it adds some weight......

[Stokesy44]

looking good. I bet those light guards were fun!

Mine were an absolute mare.

[Kevthemodeller]

Lovely PE work there

[digger303]

looking good. I bet those light guards were fun!

Mine were an absolute mare.

yes and I cocked them up particularly the one with the internal cross.

[Donkeywalloper]

We really are the PE King here.
Amazing works chap, really mindblowing.
DW

[digger303]

We really are the PE King here.
Amazing works chap, really mindblowing.
DW

Thanks Ke, Dw and Stokesy

Dunno about kingship. I just have never bought a full upgrade set for a kit before and I wanted to give it a go. Actually found that I'm enjoying it for the most part and I read a comment from better modeler than I. In a magazine who stated that tank destroyers and the open topped type really needed extra work done on then to make them shine. So I thought I'd give it a go. Like to try things at least once.

[Tomcat64]

Yep that's lads are right - that's some superb PE work - well done for sticking with it!

[Rugash]

Looks really good Digger!

[digger303]

Looks really good Digger!

Yep that's lads are right - that's some superb PE work - well done for sticking with it!

Thanks guys ,,,you won't say that when I change the camera angle

[Stokesy44]

Thanks guys ,,,you won't say that when I change the camera angle

Ah yes, the modeler's greatest tool - the camera angle

[digger303]

good old sprue glue does a good job of filling big seams.

and it cleans up almost invisible.

[Tomcat64]

Great work cleaning those joins up mate - I really must get around to make some goo

[Kevthemodeller]

Great work cleaning those joins up mate - I really must get around to make some goo

What he said Neil I've just started making mine

[Quax]

great work with the PE Digger, I couldn't have done that even before the shakes ! You have improved the kit no end

Paul

[digger303]

great work with the PE Digger, I couldn't have done that even before the shakes ! You have improved the kit no end

Paul

Very kind of you Paul......thinking of revisiting those head light guards as I didn't do them justice...just got feed up with them and moved on.

Great work cleaning those joins up mate - I really must get around to make some goo

What he said Neil I've just started making mine

Thanks guys ...messy stuff and leaves spider webs, but very useful and it dosn't set immediately but is strong so it leaves some time to slide parts to the proper position. Just don't try to clean up until it has set.

[digger303]

Starting to come together now
figures ready for priming


and the m40 isn't far behind. Ropes and chain added plus a few smaller items i missed with the first run though on construction.


This where I come clean and reveal my stuff up with the light guards.The one with the cross reinforcing...think it is actually the horn.
I don't actually have the right spare track link clamps either as the ones supplied with the kit and the voyager upgrade pe are for the Korean war. So I elected to install them any way and not to include the track links. The less informed won't notice and I had to put something there to fill the empty space.....sue me

The strut for the barrel clamp slipped when the glue was drying. Not sure if I shall leave it like that or fix it yet. Kind of looks more interesting.

[BigWall]

Nice! Nice! Nice!

[digger303]

Nice! Nice! Nice!

Thanks Joe for taking a look .

[Stokesy44]

Man alive that looks good!

[ForeverPlasticKits]

Such good work on this huge artillery self-propelled gun, !

[digger303]

Man alive that looks good!

Thanks Stokesy...brass does look nice, but it's all going to be buried under a layer of paint shortly. I'm not sure how it will look then.

Such good work on this huge artillery self-propelled gun, !

Thanks for the kind words.

[Kevthemodeller]

Lovely PE work mate

[digger303]

Lovely PE work mate

Thanks Kev

[Tomcat64]

Oooh headless dudes have turned up

The detail on that really does look superb mate

[digger303]

Oooh headless dudes have turned up

The detail on that really does look superb mate

Thanks Neil....I'll try to find the heads

[Engine95]

Wow, that PE looks great Digger. And I can see how that rear grate PE would have given you fits! Fantastic job sir!

Looking forward to seeing how she looks with a paint job. Correct me if I'm wrong but given your discussion on the tracks you're going for the World War II M40 with the 991st FA Bn?

Edit: Never mind, I missed this was a WW2 GB.

[Twokidsnosleep]

This is an amazing build, one of your best. Loving the PE additions
And now we are on to figures!!
Birds of a feather as I am doing RAF pilots and their dog...a Bernese of course

[DRUMS01]

Looking really good digger, love the extra details!

Ben

[digger303]

This is an amazing build, one of your best. Loving the PE additions
And now we are on to figures!!
Birds of a feather as I am doing RAF pilots and their dog...a Bernese of course

Thank you, but I'm finding new ways to stuff it up.
Figures are a new thing for me and finding it hard to get skin tones and shading anywhere close. Don't think I'll worry about the eyes. Too small for anyone to notice.

Looking really good digger, love the extra details!
Ben

Thanks Ben

Wow, that PE looks great Digger. And I can see how that rear grate PE would have given you fits! Fantastic job sir!

Looking forward to seeing how she looks with a paint job. Correct me if I'm wrong but given your discussion on the tracks you're going for the World War II M40 with the 991st FA Bn?
Edit: Never mind, I missed this was a WW2 GB.

Yep the grate is a long way from being right, but thats the way it's going to stay. Thanks for looking in and should have another update very soon.

[digger303]

Wanted to do a little more before this, but in the interests of getting something to show before the missus drags me off to hold her hand while she watches a scary movie.I have these.
Your garden variety tracks.
Edit..... The process used on these tracks is as follows. Mr Hobby surface primer 1500 then a 50/50 mix of Tamiya Metallic grey and NATO black. Once that is dry I went over it with a extreme rust wash from MIG followed by VMS red Earth pigment( Brown tone) mixed with alkyd binder. Lastly finished with a woodless graphite pencil in HB over the high spots. I didn't labour that part too much as I didn't want a high shine as these machines don't spend every day moving about.

my headless guys looking for their heads.
Edit.... The first pic shows my stuff up with applying a wash not thinned enough and I have this horrible dark green all over. The second pic shows one on the right that I managed to clean up a little. The pic's certainly show up areas that weren't cleaned up to a high standard. A little more work perhaps will be needed.

One side complete

and the other has a wheel missing...damned if I know where it is and my lovely tracks turned up a few inches short. I have managed to locate another set in the same state , but now getting it to me is another problem.
Edit...missing 2 spues of track and I managed to stuff the black paint on one corner which I will fix.

Sorry there isn't more, but hopefully I will come back and edit this post a little to flesh it out.....The movie is waiting it seems


EDIT...I still have a lot of work to do. Figures need fixing, m40 need some touch ups, installing seats and maybe some detail paint work and of course a base.

[Stokesy44]

Great work. Lovely paintwork on the hull and those tracks look superb

[BigWall]

It's all looking great! I really like the tracks! Good luck finding the wheel